Julia Mangold’s practice enacts a conceptual shift in relation to the Minimalist legacy, unfolding through a dialectic of contemplative constructivism.

Meaning does not reside within the individual object — which, in itself, is “completely devoid of sense” — but emerges from the purely relational semantics between the few geometric elements at play. This pursuit of formal balance between mass, fullness, and void reveals a constructive attitude, further emphasized by the artisanal treatment of edges and welds, standing in stark contrast to Minimalism’s emphasis on raw materiality.

The contemplative dimension is instead conveyed through a refined material sensibility. Steel, subjected to acids and wax, sheds its industrial coldness and acquires a sensual, vibrating patina — a “sensitive skin” that invites slow, intimate observation over time.

Her installations do not impose themselves upon space; rather, they activate a spatial device that is intimate and contained, shaped through volumes and shadows. Scale, calibrated to “human measure” and defined by the artist’s own physicality, establishes a peer-to-peer relationship with the viewer, who becomes an essential participant in a silent, almost sacred conversation.

Studio la Città, 2025